


The Thorns Protect The Daisy

by SparklingDarkAngel



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Guardian Angels, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-15
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-05-06 20:57:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 10,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5430581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparklingDarkAngel/pseuds/SparklingDarkAngel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the angel Raina appears to the orphan Skye, she promises to help her gain control of her newly developed powers and lead her to a great victory, but the angel also has her own agenda. Neither of them planned on falling in love. Written for a prompt on tumblr by abossycontrolfreak and tillthenexttimedoctor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Drowning

There was water everywhere, filling her eyes and lungs as she kicked uselessly against the current. Skye’s panic filled mind could not differentiate between up and down. She opened her mouth to cry out for help only to choke as more water rushed inside. Coughs shook her body as it tried to expel the water from her lungs. Everything hurt.

As an orphan, Skye had never learned to swim, so when she fell from the bridge, he body gave in to panic. Her limbs thrashed everywhere as she tried to right herself, but she only continued to sink. She had always wanted to swim as a child. The water had always seemed so peaceful and inviting. She hadn’t imagined that it could be so violent as well.

Skye’s eyes fell closed and her limbs began to relax under exhaustion as her nine years flashed before her eyes. Briefly, she wondered if her latest foster family would ever know what became of her, or if they would even care.

Suddenly, the burning in her lungs stopped as something gripped her tightly. She gasped, and air rushed into her lungs. Skye opened her eyes to find herself back on the bridge she had fallen from. Whatever was holding her let go, and she whirled around to find her savior.

The orphan came face to face with the most beautiful women she had ever seen. She had dark skin and soft, gentle eyes that were staring at Skye with a fondness she had never known, but it was the red flower dress that captivated her the most. For a moment, all Skye could do was stare in awe.

“Did you save me?” the child finally asked.

“I did,” the stranger replied with a tone as warm as honey.

“How did you do that?” she asked, glancing around in confusion. Before she had fallen, she had been with her foster brother. Now, the two of them were alone.

“I’m an angel,” the stranger answered. She waved her hand, and Skye was dry. “Your angel, specifically.”

“Like, a guardian angel?” Skye questioned.

The angel nodded her head. “That’s right. My name is Raina. My job is to protect you, and to show you who you really are.”

Skye shook her head doubtfully. “I know who I am, and I’m nobody special,” she said. “I’m just an orphan.”

Raina frowned. She opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by the sound of Skye’s foster brother calling out her name.

“There is the boy that pushed you,” Raina whispered as he ran across the bridge towards them.

Skye’s eyes grew large. “He did?” she asked incredulously.

Before Skye’s brother could get too close, Raina stepped protectively between the siblings. Skye blinked in shock as she watched the angel’s skin grow thorns. Every inch of her was covered. Even her hair had been replaced with a nest of spikes. She was no less beautiful, but she now looked every bit as terrifying as Skye had imagined a heavenly warrior to be. The child took a few steps backward, her mouth hanging open in awe.

The boy had fallen to the ground in front of Raina. His lip trembled, and his eyes were wide with fear. For a moment, Skye felt a sense of satisfaction, which quickly turned to horror when she saw Raina raise her arm as if to strike the boy.

“Stop!” she cried out, freezing the angel in her tracks.

Skye’s brother picked himself up and ran in the opposite direction as fast as he could. She watched his retreating back, still trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened.

“What the hell?” Skye finally asked.

Skye waited for the angel to reprimand her for cursing, but Raina only looked at her with a curious smile. The thorns had disappeared from her face, leaving a gentle expression behind. “I am sworn to protect you,” she said simply.

“So?” Skye demanded. “That doesn’t mean killing my foster brother with you weird thorny things! There’s a million better ways you can protect me!”

Raina chuckled softly. “Oh, Skye. You are every bit as great as you’re going to be.”

“What do you mean by that?” Skye questioned, frustrated.

“You’re going to do great things, Skye,” Raina answered. “I’ve seen it all. And I’m going to be the one guide you to your victory.”

Feeling a headache coming on, Skye put her fingers to her temples. “Victory? What are you talking about?”

“You’ll see,” the angel replied. “I must return now, but we will meet again soon.”

“When?” Skye asked. As confused and frustrated as she was, she was still disappointed to see Raina leave.

“When the ground starts to shake,” she answered.

“I hate metaphors,” Skye grumbled under her breath.

“It isn’t a metaphor,” the angel said with a smile. “I’ll see you again when you’re twenty-six.”

Skye blinked, and the angel was gone, leaving her alone with more questions than answers.


	2. The Crystal

The crystal that hung around Skye’s neck was the only thing she had of her parents. She fiddled with it absent-mindedly, turning it over in her hand as she walked. Often, she imagined running into a stranger, who would recognize her necklace and reveal themself to be her mother or father. It was a long shot, but Skye still had hope. 

Whenever she needed to clear her mind, Skye came to the wood to hike alone. Sometimes the stress of the never-ending search for her parents was too much, and she needed a break. The quiet calmed her, and she loved to hear the birds singing. 

As she paused to listen, Skye wondered if her parents ever sang to her, or if they had even spent time with her before they gave her up. She sighed, twirling the crystal before moving again. 

Her foot caught a root, and Skye’s hand instinctively tightened around the necklace as she stumbled. The chain broke, and the crystal fell to the ground. It broke as it hit, and a white mist rushed towards her. Skye stumbled backwards in confusion before her leg turned to stone, freezing her in place.

Skye screamed as the stone traveled further up her body, imprisoning her. For a few seconds, she couldn’t even move to breathe. Her heart beat faster as her mind struggled to come to terms with what was happening.

Just as suddenly as it started, the stone broke away, leaving Skye to wonder if she hallucinated the whole thing. She reached to pick up the broken crystal, which started to shake as her hand got near to it. She stopped, staring at it in confusion until the ground started to shake as well. Skye whirled around, panicked, but she was alone. She did the only thing she could think to do and ran. 

Her van was parked in an empty field at the edge of the woods. She ran straight for it. As she touched the door handle, the ground stilled, but her hands continued to shake as she fumbled with her key. She unlocked the door and practically threw herself inside, slamming the door behind her. 

“Hello, Skye.”

Skye cried out in shock at the voice behind her. She whipped her head around to see Raina sitting in her back seat. “What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded. 

The angel smiled, amused. “I told you that I would see you again when the ground started to shake,” she answered. “Did you forget?”

Skye took a deep breathe, hoping to calm her racing heart, and gripped the wheel tightly. “I thought I had imagined you,” she admitted. “I mean, it’s not very often people see an actual angel.”

“I can assure you, Skye, I’m very real,” Raina replied. 

“Yeah, I’m starting to get that,” Skye said. She took another deep breath and loosened her fists. Her body had stopped shaking, and her heart was beginning to relax. She looked back at Raina again. The angel looked exactly as Skye remembered, except for the blue flower dress she was wearing. She was still the most beautiful person Skye had ever seen. 

“What’s happening?” Skye asked. 

“The crystal you broke wasn’t an ordinary crystal. It changed you,” Raina explained. “It rearranged your D.N.A. to give you powers.”

“Great. How can I get rid of them?” Skye demanded. 

Raina frowned. “You’ve been given a beautiful gift, Skye. Why would you ever want to get rid of it?”

“It’s not a gift; it’s a curse!” Skye exclaimed angrily. “And I want no part of it. Please, just leave me alone.”

“I can’t do that, Skye,” Raina said. “I am sworn to protect you, and right now, that means teaching you how to control your power before you hurt yourself, or even someone else.”

Skye sighed in defeat. “Alright. But once I learn to control it, I’m done.”

“Of course,” Raina replied with a small smile that Skye knew meant that she was lying. She sighed again, wondering what she was getting herself into.


	3. The Store

“Why do we have to drive all the way to the Rockies again?” Skye asked, a hint of irritation in her tone. She plucked a bag of chips off the shelf of the convenience store and examined the back. Eating was something humans and inhumans alike had to do to survive, although Raina was not sure how potato chips possibly contained anything of value.

“It is the best place to practice,” the angel replied, watching a flicker of annoyance cross Skye’s face.

“Yes, but why are we driving? Can’t you just fly us there? You are an angel, after all,” she asked, almost whispering the last part.

“Driving is better,” Raina said simply.

Skye rolled her eyes, but she let the subject drop. She dug through her pocket and pulled out a wad of bills and loose change. As a hacker who lived in a van, it was all she had.

“You don’t have a lot of that,” Raina commented. “Are you sure you want to waste it?”

“I’m not going to rob the convenience store,” Skye hissed under her breath as she turned to approach the cashier.

Raina watched with growing curiosity as Skye handed over a portion of her money to the stranger. It was her strong moral compass that was going to save her people, whom she didn’t even know existed yet. Despite her protests, Raina knew that it was going to happen. She had seen it.

After thanking the cashier, Skye grabbed her bag of chips and signaled to Raina that she was done. The angel followed her outside. Once out of earshot of anyone else, Skye turned to her and asked, “So if I can’t control my powers, which is still really weird to say, then why isn’t the entire building shaking?”

“Because of me,” Raina answered. “So long as I’m around, I can cancel out the energy.”

Skye nodded thoughtfully as she searched for her keys. “You said that once I learn to control them, I’m done. But you also said that you were going to lead me to victory. How does that work?”

“So you do remember that,” Raina replied fondly. “I can see the future. I know that you’re going to do something great, but that doesn’t mean I can force it on you if you don’t want it.”

“Alright,” Skye said, opening the van door and sliding in. Raina followed suit, climbing into the passenger’s seat. “So I get a grip on the powers, and I’m done with them for good.”

“If that’s what you want,” Raina replied, smiling sweetly.

Skye narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the angel before turning the key in the ignition and backing out of the parking space. She knew that Raina was lying, but the angel didn’t mind. So long as Skye was focused on that lie, she wouldn’t be worried about the other thing.

“We should be able to make it there by tomorrow evening,” Raina informed her. “So we should only need one hotel room.”

“I can’t afford a hotel room,” Skye protested.

“No,” Raina agreed. “But I’m an angel. I can simply convince them to let us stay the night for free.”

“Is that legal?” Skye asked.

“You’re a hacker,” Raina pointed out. “What does it matter? If the room is vacant, nobody would be paying for it anyways.”

“Fair point,” Skye admitted. Raina could see in her eyes that she was looking for an argument. “Do you sleep?”

“No,” the angel answered.

“Then a hotel room isn’t necessary. I can sleep in the van, and you can do whatever it is that angels do.”

Raina smiled, genuinely this time. Skye couldn’t be more perfect for the job ahead of her.

“What is it that you angels do?” Skye asked after a minute of driving in silence.

“I will keep watch,” Raina answered. “After all, it is my job.”

Skye nodded, returning her full attention to the road. The angel silently watched her charge, who she was already growing fond of. Raina had seen what she was going to become, and it was beautiful. Soon enough, she knew that Skye would see for herself just how wonderful her gift was.


	4. The Restaurant

Skye eyed the restaurant cautiously before making the decision to leave her van. Even for a fast food joint in the middle of nowhere, the place looked run down. The walls were crawling with hundreds of crickets, and there wasn’t another person in sight. For a moment, Skye considered hopping back in her van, but her growling stomach convinced her to walk forwards.

“You’re sure you want to stop here?” Raina asked. The angel didn’t even bother hiding her distaste.

“Hey, food’s food,” Skye replied. “Besides, if I do get sick from eating here, you can always heal me. Right?”

“I can,” Raina replied, though she still looked doubtful. She remained silent as she followed behind Skye, taking care not step on the crickets.

The inside of the restaurant was as deserted as the outside. The only person inside that Skye could see was the cashier. She approached him, smiling politely but warily. The place was looking less attractive by the minute.

Skye ordered a burger, feeling that it was her safest option. She dug out enough cash to pay, then stood next to Raina as she waited. “Hopefully the food at least tastes good,” she whispered to the angel.

“Hopefully,” Raina agreed. “It is getting dark. We should find a place to settle for the night soon.”

Skye nodded in agreement, wondering where the best place to sleep in her van was. “Is there a park nearby?” she asked.

“There is,” Raina answered. “I can guide you to it when we are done here.”

“Do you want to just drive?” Skye asked.

Raina looked away as she admitted, “I don’t know how.”

“Oh. I suppose you don’t need a car in heaven.”

The cashier announced Skye’s order. She grabbed it quickly, eager to leave. Judging by Raina’s expression, she seemed just as relieved to put the near abandoned restaurant behind them.

“Next time,” Raina began, holding the door open. “I pick where we stop.”

“You don’t eat,” Skye argued, turning the corner and nearly running into a hooded man.

“S-sorry, sir,” she stuttered.

The man lowered his hood over his eyes with one hand and produced a gun from his pocket with the other. Skye froze stiff as the weapon was pointed at her. “Give me your wallet,” the man ordered.

Instinctively, Skye’s hand reached towards her pocket where she kept her money. Her hand curled around the wad of bills when she noticed that the gun was shaking uncontrollably in his hand. She paused, watching as the weapon came apart and fell to the ground in pieces. Though she couldn’t fully see her attacker’s face, she imagined that the surprise there reflected her own.

Suddenly, Raina pushed past her and grabbed the other man’s shoulders, pushing him into the wall. Thorns sprouted all over her skin, looking just as fearsome as when Skye had first met her. Her owl eyes narrowed as she leaned in close to his face. The hood had fallen, revealing a scared expression across a young teenager’s face.

“Get out of here,” Raina growled, letting him go.

The boy nodded, turning and running as fast as he could. Skye couldn’t felt but feel sympathy for him, wondering if he was growing up the way she did. She could only hope that after encountering the angel, he would stop.

Skye turned to the angel, about to express her thoughts when she saw her legs shaking. “Are you alright?” she asked instead.

“I’m fine,” Raina insisted as her knees buckled.

Throwing down her burger, which she had somehow managed to hold on to while facing down the kid, Skye ran to Raina’s side, holding her shoulders to steady her. “You don’t look fine,” she commented. “What happened?”

“I just got overexcited and used too much energy,” Raina replied, straightening herself. “Aren’t you curious about what happened to the gun?”

“I am, actually,” Skye said, retrieving her burger. “What was that?”

“I channeled your powers,” Raina explained. “You see how wonderful they can be, Skye?”

To hide her small smile, Skye turned and began to walk to the van. “I guess,” she admitted.

As she climbed inside with Raina, she turned to the angel and smiled. “Maybe I won’t say I’m done with them just yet. So long as you can keep me from hurting anyone.”

“Of course,” Raina replied, returning the smile. “I knew you would see eventually.”

Skye turned the key in the ignition and began to drive away. Somehow, sitting in her van with the angel was beginning to feel like home.


	5. The Angel's Guilt

It was true that angels didn’t sleep, but given Raina’s problem, she found that her eyes were growing heavy with the need to let her body rest. She had used too much energy to scare the boy in the parking lot. Her angelic muscles were exhausted.

In the driver’s seat, her charge was peacefully asleep. It hadn’t taken her long to nod off, leaving Raina to wonder how often she had slept here. The angel had heard it said that in sleep, people looked younger and innocent, but Raina could now see the lines of exhaustion covering Skye’s face more clearly.

As she watched, Raina felt an unfamiliar sensation of guilt. She knew why the orphan’s face showed such exhaustion, and she was withholding the information that could bring her peace. It was a tricky game that Raina played; one that she had mastered over time. Give the right information at the right time, and you could get anyone to do anything.

Raina needed Skye for more than what she would do for the inhumans. She needed Skye to fix her problem, and she could only hope that the women would forgive her later. The angel hadn’t expected to like the inhuman as much as she did, or vice versa. What she had to do could destroy whatever Skye felt for her, and that thought was preventing her from sleeping.

“I can feel you watching me.”

The angel jumped at the sound of Skye’s voice, pulling her out of her troubled thoughts. “I thought you were asleep,” she said softly.

Skye turned to face her, opening her eyes. “It’s hard to sleep with an angel staring at you all night,” she replied with a sleepy smile.

Her eyes were lit up with amusement and fondness that caused Raina’s heart to beat faster than it should. It was another unfamiliar sensation, but not necessarily an unpleasant one. The angel held the other girl’s eyes for as long as she could before turning away awkwardly. “Sorry,” she murmured.

With a gentle laugh, Skye rolled back over and shut her eyes. The angel forced herself to turn away, staring at the trees surrounding the van. They stood watch, almost like their own guardians, protecting the pair from harm. Their branches forming a shield over the van appeared so strong; everything Raina wanted to be for Skye.

The angel rubbed forcefully at her face, attempting to push her worrying away. If she was ever going to be strong again, she needed rest. She closed her eyes, focusing on the sound of her own breathing. As minutes passed, her mind emptied itself. The lulling blackness claimed her as dreams took over consciousness.

Over time, Raina had grown good at recognizing the difference between visions and dreams, and she knew instantly that what she was seeing was a vision. She watched with curiosity as Skye approached her father, embracing him. When he wrapped his arms around her, the angel could see the bloodstains covering his skin.

“Are you alright?” she asked him.

“As long as you are,” the man replied.

Father and daughter pulled apart, looking into each other’s eyes with grief. “I know you loved her,” Skye said. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” her father quickly assured her. “I would do it all again if it kept you safe.”

Raina’s eyes flew open, meeting Skye’s. She jumped back, hitting her head against the window. The pain didn’t register. Her head was still swimming with her latest vision. She opened her mouth, about to relay the information to Skye when she remembered that she needed to hold her tongue. She needed to be able to tell Skye later, after she did what she was going to do.

“I thought angels didn’t sleep,” Skye commented.

“They don’t,” Raina answered. “That was a vision.” It was only a partial lie.

“What about?” Skye asked.

“Your future,” Raina answered honestly. “I promise I will explain everything later. Once you have a grip on your powers, you can decide if you will move forward.”

Skye nodded. Her eyes held no suspicion, which somehow made Raina feel worse about everything. “There is still a few hours until sunrise,” she said, changing the subject. “You should sleep more.”

The orphan nodded again, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. After a few minutes, she was out again, leaving Raina alone with her thoughts again.


	6. The Cabin

The mountain peaks were a welcome sight as Skye drove closer. Her foot gently rested on the gas pedal, urging the van along the dirt road. She had never been so close to the Rockies before, and the sight filled her with awe. The peak seemed to reach upwards endlessly, as if it could touch the stars.

“Take a right here,” Raina said from the passenger’s seat.

Skye turned the van away from the woods, spotting a cabin in the distance. “Is that where we’re going?” she asked.

“It is,” the angel replied.

“Who’s cabin is it?” Skye asked, hoping the angel wasn’t planning on “borrowing” it.

“Yours,” Raina answered simply.

Skye glanced over at the angel, who was smiling happily, if not suspiciously, at it. “Funny, I don’t remember buying a cabin right next to the mountains,” she replied.

“That’s because I built it,” Raina explained. “A few years ago, I saw that you would have need of it, so I built it here. It’s been waiting for you ever since.”

The orphan’s smile matched Raina’s as she parked her van alongside the cabin. She turned the key, shutting the van off without taking her eyes off the building. “This is really mine?” she asked, her voice betraying her amazement.

“Yes. Come see it,” Raina answered excitedly, throwing the door open.

Skye followed after the eager angel, grinning wildly. In her life, she had never had a place just for her. She had grown up in foster homes, and as she got older, she moved on to sharing apartments, until times became tough and she had to live in her van. Her mind was still having trouble understanding that the cabin in front of her was all hers.

The inside of the cabin had everything a home needed. There was a kitchen area in one corner, complete with a kitchen island. A large bed sat in the corner across, with red sheets draped over the mattress. Along the wall, bare shelves hung, and in the back, a small hallway led to a bathroom. In the middle of the room stood a table, where Skye dropped her bag. “This is incredible,” she said, turning to Raina.

“I’m glad you think so,” the angel replied, unable to contain her smile.

“How did you build all this?” she asked, looking around in awe.

“I had some angelic help,” Raina answered. “The other angels are very excited for you.”

“Why is that?” Skye asked, curious.

“Because you’re going to do something big that will keep a lot of people from dying or becoming murderers,” the angel answered vaguely.

Skye decided that she wasn’t going to get any more information out of Raina for now. “This is awesome,” she said. “Thank you.”

As she met the angel’s eyes, the fondness there startled her. Skye was unused to seeing such happiness directed at her, and she never imagined that she would get it from an angel.

“You’re very welcome,” she replied softly. “There is still a few hours of sunlight left. Would you like to start practicing?”

“What, my powers?” Skye asked, following Raina outside. “What if I hurt someone?”

“Who?” Raina asked. “The mountains? That’s the beauty of this place. There’s no one for you to accidentally hurt.”

“I could hurt you,” Skye replied, turning away to face the mountain.

“I’m an angel,” Raina reminded her. “You’re not going to hurt me, and you’re not going to hurt yourself. I won’t let that happen.”

“Alright,” Skye agreed. “Where do we start?”

“With something small.”


	7. Quake

Skye stared intently at the pebble in Raina’s outstretched palm, pouring all her focus onto it. In her head, she imagined it vibrating violently and turning to dust. She could almost feel the vibrations rolling off her body, directly into the pebble.

“Can you feel it?” Raina asked, her voice cutting through Skye’s concentration.

“Yes,” Skye replied, not looking up from the pebble.

“Good. Now, I’m going to channel your power into it just so you can get a feel for what happens,” Raina explained.

Skye nodded her consent, her eyes still fixed on the pebble. The air right around suddenly felt warmer, charged even. She watched as the pebble shook, vibrating in the angel’s hand. Small pieces fell from it as the vibrating increased, and the air grew warmer. When Raina held nothing but a small pile of sand, the vibrating stopped.

“That was awesome,” Skye commented, smiling up at Raina.

“Indeed,” the angel agreed. “You have a magnificent gift, Skye.”

Raina’s eyes were aglow with excitement as she picked another pebble off the ground. “Now, let’s see what you can do yourself.”

Skye nodded, focusing on the new pebble. She tried to recreate the feeling of the air warming around her in her mind, as well as visualizing the pebble shaking.

“I’m going to stop channeling your powers now. Are you ready?”

Skye nodded again, and the world started shaking. She gasped in surprise as the ground underneath her began to move. Her focus dropped as she tried to make the ground stop shaking, but she was unsure how.

“Don’t try to stop it,” Raina said. “Try to channel it.”

She turned her attention back to the pebble in Raina’s steady hand. Mentally, she shoved all her energy into the tiny rock, willing her entire focus into it. As she did, the ground stilled, and the pebble began to twitch. Slowly, it shook more and more, and after a minute, it was vibrating as fast as it had when Raina had been in control.

Once the pebble had been reduced to sand, the shaking stopped. Skye couldn’t tear her eyes away from her accomplishment, staring in awe. “I can’t believe I did that,” she said softly, mostly to herself.

“Your gift is incredible,” Raina said. “You could turn an entire mountain to dust if you wanted to.”

Skye looked up at the mountain, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the power inside her again. All her gift could do was destroy. She didn’t want to hurt anyone, so why had she been cursed with this?

“I know what you’re thinking,” Raina spoke up, interrupting her thoughts.

“What, you read minds too now?” Skye asked, only half joking.

“I read facial expressions,” Raina replied with an amused smile. “Skye, this is a gift. It is not made to destroy, but to protect.”

Skye turned back to the mountain again, smiling. “To protect. I never thought of it like that. I like that one better.”

“Why don’t you give it a try?” Raina suggested.

“What? Shaking the mountain?” Skye asked, alarmed.

“Nobody is on it,” Raina replied. “Trust me.”

Skye nodded, focusing on the large mountain in front of her. This time, when Raina let go of control, the ground did not move. Instead, the mountain gently swayed, as if a giant gust of wind were moving it from side to side. She squinted, trying to imagine it vibrating. The air was hot as the mountain shook more, slowly bringing itself to the speed in Skye’s head.

Suddenly, the shaking stopped, and Skye fell to the ground, out of breath. The angel was by her side in an instant, demanding to know if she was hurt in any way. She shook her head, pushing herself up from the ground. Her hands shook from the strain she had placed on herself. With wide eyes, she stared at the mountain she had moved.

“Let me check your wrists,” Raina demanded, taking them in her hands.

Skye stiffened at the surprise contact, but quickly relaxed as she realized that her wrists did hurt, and that Raina’s touch took the soreness away. The angel’s hands seemed to glow as they healed her. She squinted, trying to focus in the golden light fading in and out.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you,” Raina apologized, looking guiltily up at Skye.

“That was awesome,” Skye replied, smiling wide. For the first time, she could actually picture herself achieving the victory Raina kept going on about. “Nothing is without risk, especially something as weird as this.”

Raina nodded in agreement, returning Skye’s smile. “Well, tomorrow we’ll work on how to keep your power still.”

“Alright,” Skye agreed. “So, suppressing it?”

“Calming it,” Raina corrected. “But for now, the sun is getting low, and you are exhausted.”

As if to prove Raina’s point, Skye’s legs shook. “Sleep sounds wonderful,” she agreed.


	8. Cal

After making sure that Skye would not wake until morning, Raina snuck out of the cabin, car key in hand. She had never driven before, but after watching Skye, she thought she knew the basics. Besides, she knew that no one would be on the roads so late at night.

She did feel guilty for leaving Skye behind, but for now, she needed to be alone. If the man she was going to visit saw Skye, he would never cooperate. He could even expose Raina for who she truly was. It was too dangerous to risk.

Raina hopped into the driver’s side of Skye’s van, and after a few tries, she managed to turn the key in the ignition. As she stared down at the many lights and buttons, she began to doubt wether she could do this. She pulled open the glove compartment, hoping to find a manual. A lone paper fell, and Raina caught it. She turned it over, examining the child’s drawing on the other side.

It took a minute for Raina to recognize herself in the picture, but the thorny stick figure in the red dress could be nobody else. Raina smiled to herself, gently tracing over the sketch with her finger. The drawing of her was holding a stick figure child’s hand, and Raina could only assume that the child was Skye.

She wondered how long ago Skye had drawn it, and why she had kept it in her glove apartment. A strange warmth rose through her body. It was more than affection, but Raina was unsure what it was. She touched her lips and found that she was smiling widely.

Gently, she set the paper aside and resumed her search for a manual. After a few seconds of digging, she found one. She skimmed quickly through the pages, making sure she knew what everything meant. Once she decided she was ready, she pressed her foot on the brake and put the van into drive.

Getting on the dirt road was easy. Raina barely pressed her foot on the gas pedal, slowly urging the van forward. With no one else on the road, she let the van crawl. Her knuckles hurt from gripping the wheel too tight. Every shadow made her jump. In her weakened state, she knew that she could die in that van.

It was a relief when Raina finally pulled off of the dirt road. With the smooth pavement under her wheels and the clear road in front of her, she allowed herself to drive faster. As the blood pounded through her ears, she promised herself that she would never drive again.

Fortunately, the place she was trying to reach was not far. She pulled off onto another dirt road, which led her to a small house. It was late, but the lights were on inside. Raina pulled up next to it and turned the car off.

She approached the house, her legs shaking as she did. The ground under her feet had never felt better, even though she was used to flying. She walked up the steps and knocked on the door, hoping that the man inside would answer.

The door opened, and the floppy-haired man she was looking for stood in the doorway. “Raina?” he asked, his eyes switching from confusion to irritation to hope.

“Hello Cal,” Raina replied. “We have much to discuss.”

Raina stepped inside, closing the door behind her. For a man as extraordinary as Cal, his house was very ordinary. It was only one story, and Raina could see most of it from where she stood; everything from the crowded kitchen on the left to the bare living room on the right. There was a suspicious hallway leading to a back room, but Raina knew better than to ask Cal where it led to.

“You’ve found her, haven’t you?” Cal asked. “That’s why you’re here. You found Daisy.”

Raina nodded, and Cal beamed at her. “Can I see her?” he asked.

“Not yet,” Raina replied.

Cal scowled, glaring down at the angel. “Why not?” he demanded.

“The time isn’t right. You know that I’ve seen it.”

“Skye needs me,” he argued. “When she changes, she’s going to be so confused.”

“She already has changed,” Raina explained. “And her gift is truly something to behold.”

“How is she doing?” Cal asked, his eyebrows scrunching up in worry.

“She has adapted very well,” Raina assured him.

Cal nodded, turning towards the desk standing against the back wall. He picked up a picture frame, holding it gently in his large hand. His eyes softened as he looked down at it. Raina could barely see a younger version of him standing next to his wife, who was holding his baby daughter.

“What do you need me to do?” he asked.

“I need you to make some noise and get onto both SHIELD’s and the inhumans’ radars.”

“And then I can see her?” he asked hopefully.

“Yes,” Raina answered.

Cal set the picture down, turning back to Raina. “Have you even told her about your problem yet?”

“No,” Raina replied. “I’m afraid she might not help me if she knew the truth.”

“You’re going to use her to get them,” Cal realized, his eyes taking on a furious glow as his hands curled into fists. “You know how dangerous that can be.”

“Don’t loose your head, Cal,” Raina warned. “This isn’t a fight you can win.”

After a few seconds of glaring, Cal sighed and turned away. “I will do what you asked,” he said. “Not for you, but for her. Just promise me you’ll keep her safe.”

“I promise,” Raina answered honestly. The thought of anything happening to Skye, especially if it was her fault, filled her stomach with dread. She would use her, but she would also protect her because she cared for her.

Cal met her eyes and asked, “Do you feel anything for her, or is she just another pawn?”

Raina opened her mouth to answer, but she found herself unable to find the words to describe how much she cared for Skye. Finally, she settled for simply saying, “I do care for her.”

“Then you’ll make good on that promise,” Cal said. “Now go take care of my Daisy.”


	9. The Vision

As days turned into weeks, Skye couldn’t be happier. The power that had been suddenly thrown onto her wasn’t as hard to control as she originally thought. She no longer feared it. Instead, it excited her. As she experimented with it, she felt pride in what she could do.

The water in the sink her favorite thing to test her powers on. As she washed her hands, she focused on the steady flow of water, seeing patterns in her mind. As she focused, the patterns came to life in the sink as the water shaped itself to whatever she wanted.

“You’re getting good at that,” Raina commented one day, staring over her shoulder.

“I have a good teacher,” Skye replied.

“You’re almost ready,” Raina said, smiling.

The water stopped spiraling, falling back to its usual flow. Skye turned around anxiously to face the angel. “Ready for what?” she asked.

“To begin your mission,” Raina answered, as if that explained anything.

“Which is?” Skye pressed.

Behind her, the water shut off. Skye was used to strange things happening around the angel by now. While Skye was proud of her gift, she still thought that Raina’s was much more amazing.

“You’ll need to bring peace between SHIELD and the Inhumans,” Raina began.

Skye raised her eyebrows in shock. “That’s insane. How am I supposed to do that?”

“You are Inhuman, so that will help,” the angel explained.

“There are others like me?” Skye asked, hopeful.

“Yes,” Raina answered. “And you’re going to be an agent of SHIELD.”

Skye laughed nervously, shaking her head. “No way.”

“With your gift, it shouldn’t be too difficult. SHIELD will consider you a valuable asset.”

“I can’t believe I’m actually considering doing this,” Skye replied, still laughing. “A few months ago, I would have told you that you were crazy. Well, I still think you are, but I trust you.”

“What’s changed?” Raina asked, focusing her owl eyes on Skye’s face.

“Everything,” Skye answered honestly. “I developed this gift, and now I feel like I can do anything. Plus, I met you, and I haven’t felt like I’ve had a home in a long time, but I do here.”

The angel’s face broke out into a wide smile. Her eyes glowed softly with affection. “I am so proud of the progress you’ve made,” she announced. “You’re going to do just fine in SHIELD.”

“How am I going to get in exactly?” Skye asked.

“I haven’t seen it yet,” Raina admitted. “But I will be there to guide you.”

Skye nodded in acceptance. The past weeks had flown by, and yet she felt as if she had been at the cabin with Raina for years. The inhuman wasn’t one to trust easily, but somehow Raina had wormed past her defenses. The guardian from her childhood hadn’t even had to work very hard. Ever since Raina had left her that day, Skye had been praying that she would return. As she moved from foster home to foster home, growing lonelier every day, she would imagine that Raina was coming back for her.

As the years went on, Skye had begun to accept that there was no angel coming for her, and she stopped thinking about her. Skye had never been so happy to wrong before. Finally, she had a home.

“You will save your people,” Raina said suddenly, pulling Skye back to reality.

“You saw it?” Skye asked.

Raina nodded. Her eyes never once left Skye’s. If it were anyone else, she would have found it unnerving, but she was used to the angel’s strong presence by now.

Without taking time to think about it, Skye closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around the angel. Raina hesitated, but soon returned the embrace. “Thank you for everything,” she said.

“You’re very welcome,” Raina replied, her voice softer than normal.

Skye pulled away first, blushing nervously. “This is still so weird,” she added. “I mean, earthquake powers, inhumans, and SHIELD. I don’t even know how I got here.”

“Destiny,” Raina answered. “Your entire life has been leading up to that moment of victory, and it is closer than you think.”

“How did you convince me into this?” Skye asked, turning back to the sink. She turned the water on, letting it flow over her hands. She reached out with her mind, tapping into the vibrations. The water spiraled, turning circles around her hands.

“I simply told you what was going to happen,” Raina answered. Skye could still feel her stare burning into her head.

Skye heard a sharp gasp and whirled around to face the sound. Raina’s expression had contorted into surprise and pain. “Raina?” she asked, her voice raised a pitch with worry.

“I see it,” Raina gasped. Her eyes darted from side to side, unfocused. “I will lead you to the Director of SHIELD, and you will save his life.”

Her legs shook, and Skye rushed forwards to catch her before she fell. With the angel’s full weight falling into her arms, Skye slowly crouched to the floor. Raina’s skin had paled and was cold against Skye’s. “Are you okay?” she asked, sitting next to the angel on the floor.

“I am,” Raina answered weakly. “Sometimes visions take a lot out of me. Just give me a moment.”

Minutes passed, and Raina only grew colder. Skye wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, but nothing seemed to help. The angel’s eyes shut, and her head fell against Skye.

“Please tell me how to help you,” Skye begged. “I can’t do this without you.”

Raina raised a shaky hand and gently touched Skye’s forehead. Suddenly, her mind was filled with visions of dirt roads and a small house among the trees. She saw a floppy-haired man, and while she was certain that she had never seen him before, he felt familiar. “Get Cal,” Raina instructed, her voice strained. “He’ll know what to do.”

Skye stood, propping Raina up against the wall. “I’ll get him. You’ll be okay, I promise.”

As Skye grabbed her keys, she wondered if it was her destiny to always lose her home.


	10. Dad

Skye wasted no time in turning the van on and taking off down the road. She drove faster than she normally would have on a dirt road, especially with the setting sun shining in her eyes, but she needed to reach Cal as soon as possible. If she lost Raina, she didn’t know what she would do. The angel was the closest thing Skye had to home, and she couldn’t picture a life without her anymore.

Seeing Raina dying on the floor of the cabin made Skye realize that she didn’t just need Raina. She loved her. As soon as Raina got better (because Skye refused to believe that she wouldn’t), she was going to tell her. She didn’t care about the consequences. She didn’t think she could handle it if Raina actually did die without knowing.

Since her mind was so distracted, Skye almost missed her turn. She slammed the brakes and jerked the wheel. For a moment, she thought that her van was going to fall sideways, but miraculously it stayed on four wheels. Skye’s already fast heart felt as if it was going into overdrive. She thought that if she opened her mouth, it might fall out given how hard it was beating.

She had never been more relieved to see anyone’s house than she was when she first approached Cal’s house. After parking, she ran up to the door and pounded on it. After a few agonizing seconds, the man Raina had shown her answered.

“Daisy?” he asked, his eyes filled with hope.

“Skye,” she corrected, shaking her head. “I need your help. Do you know Raina?”

“Unfortunately,” Cal replied, grimacing. “What does she need now?”

Although he tried to hold a neutral expression, Skye could see the disappointment in his eyes, as well as longing. She assumed it had something to do with Daisy. After she took care of Raina, she promised herself that she would find out.

“She’s sick,” Skye answered. “I think she’s dying.”

Cal’s face darkened into an unreadable expression. “And she thinks I would help her?”

“Please,” Skye begged. “I’ll do anything.”

“Anything?” Cal asked, his eyebrows falling in concern. “For her? Why?”

“I love her,” Skye admitted.

“She hasn’t even told you who I am,” he replied bitterly.

Skye paused, her heart nearly stopping. He looked familiar, but she didn’t dare let herself hope. “Who are you?” she asked, her throat suddenly dry.

“I’m your father.”

For a moment, Skye could only stare in awe. Then, she ran to embrace him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. “Dad,” she whispered. The word felt strange, but somehow right as he returned the hug.

“Am I Daisy?” she asked.

“Yes,” Cal responded. “You’re my daughter, Daisy.”

“Why didn’t she tell me?” Skye asked, pulling away.

“She saw the future, and she said that it would happen when it needed to,” he answered.

“You need to help her,” Skye pleaded.

“She kept us apart,” he growled.

“I’m sure she had her reasons, but she’s dying and I can’t do this without her.”

“Okay,” Cal relented. “Take me to her. I’ll see what I can do.”

Skye nodded. A huge lump had formed in her throat. She led her father to her van. For now, she was still in shock over the news. Part of her still didn’t believe that he was really her dad, and if she wasn’t so worried about Raina, she was sure that she would be happier. Once the angel was taken care of, Skye would focus on him.

The drive to the cabin was silent. There were so many things that she wanted to ask her father, but with Raina dying, she couldn’t focus on herself. She sped down the dirt roads, desperately hoping that she would reach her in time.

“She’s inside,” Skye announced as she pulled up to the cabin.

As if sensing her urgency, Cal threw the door open before Skye had even parked. Despite his earlier misgivings, he ran towards the cabin. By the time Skye caught up, he was already inside. His face mirrored the worry Skye felt as he looked down at the angel.

Raina’s condition had only worsened while Skye was away. Her skin was pale and covered in cold sweat. Skye knelt beside her and touched the back of her hand to her forehead. It was colder than when she had last checked. Gently, she leaned down and planted a chaste kiss on her freezing forehead. “It’s going to be okay. I promise,” she whispered.

“You know what’s wrong, don’t you Raina?” Cal asked, his voice disapproving. “You’ve run out of juice, and you need them.”

“There has to be another way,” the angel rasped.

“There isn’t,” Cal responded.

“I’m not strong enough,” Raina argued weakly.

“You’re going to die without them,” he insisted.

“What are you talking about?” Skye asked, growing more worried.

“She still hasn’t told you?” Cal asked, incredulous.

Skye turned to Raina, whose face was contorted with guilt. “What is he talking about?” she asked softly.

“My wings,” Raina responded. “I need my wings.”


	11. The Truth

For a minute, all Skye could do was stare in confusion. Her mind raced, trying to keep up with Raina. “Your what?” she asked, wondering if she had misheard.

“My wings,” Raina repeated. Her voice grew weaker every time she spoke. Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut as if speaking was causing her pain.

In order to save the angel from having to talk again, Skye turned to her father. “What does she mean?”

“Her wings were ripped from her,” Cal explained. His face grew dark. “Ripped off by another angel. When you can see the future, you make a lot of enemies.”

Skye glanced back to Raina. Her fists curled at the thought of someone hurting her. The floor shook for a few seconds before Skye noticed and brought her powers under control. “When were you going to tell me?” she asked.

The angel remained silent. An uncharacteristically guilty look flashed across her face before it scrunched up in pain. Skye gently touched the back of her hand to Raina’s forehead again. It seemed even colder than it had been a few minutes ago.

“She wasn’t,” Cal answered.

“But I could have helped,” Skye protested.

“You were going to,” Cal told her. “You just weren’t going to know it.”

Skye froze, replaying his words in her brain. “What?” she asked, unable to say anything else.

Cal sighed and ran his hands over his face. “She was going to use you to get her wings back,” he said.

“What?” Skye repeated, standing. Her heart began to rush. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.

“You see, you can’t destroy angel wings,” Cal explained. “So the other angel had to hide them somewhere no one could find them. Well, no one besides you.”

“Why me?” Skye asked. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Because you can move the earth,” Cal answered.

“My wings,” Raina rasped before breaking out into a vicious cough. Weakly, she raised her hands to cover her mouth. Her whole body shook. Skye knelt again, touching her forehead again. It still felt impossibly cold.

“Don’t try and speak,” Skye said softly.

“Her wings are hidden deep inside a mountain,” Cal explained for her.

Skye stood again, facing Cal. “And because of my powers, I’m the only one who can get to them.”

Cal nodded. From the look in his eyes, Skye knew there was an important detail she was still missing. Deep down, she knew what was wrong, but she couldn’t admit it to herself.

“Why not just tell me?” she asked. “I would have helped.”

“No,” Raina argued. “Not once you knew.”

“Knew what?” she asked, temporarily forgetting her concern for the angel’s health in her desperate need to know; to be proven wrong about Raina.

“The cost,” Raina whispered, sounding as if she was choking.

Skye buried her head in her hands. She was slowly losing all hope of things ending well. Of course everything had been too good to be true, just like it always was. “What’s the cost?” she asked.

“Getting to her wings would be very dangerous,” Cal started. “If you don’t do it just right, you could badly hurt yourself or anyone within a very wide radius of the mountain.”

Her heart dropped into her stomach as Skye stared at Raina in horror. It seemed that she had been right. Raina never cared. She was only using her.

“Reattaching her wings is even more dangerous,” Cal continued. “She could flatten the entire mountain range if she lost control.”

“I won’t,” Raina argued. “Skye, I was supposed to be strong enough. You would never have gotten hurt.”

The cabin started to shake with all the rage Skye felt inside. She didn’t bother to control it as she looked down at the angel. “Why don’t I believe you?” she snapped. “You are full of lies and will never change.”

Raina’s eyes opened in shock. If Skye didn’t know better, she would say that the angel looked hurt. Maybe she was. Maybe a part of her did care. Skye hoped so anyways. She opened her mouth, but only a strangled noise came out. Too weak to continue, she shut her eyes again and collapsed onto the floor.

“Raina?” Skye asked, panicked. She dropped to the floor, checking her forehead again. It was no surprise that it still felt too cold. For a moment, she debated what to do. Raina had used and manipulated her, and Skye was angry beyond belief, but she still loved her and couldn’t stand to see her die. She scooped the angel up into her arms and rushed towards her van.

“What are you doing?” Cal asked, following behind her.

“Saving her,” Skye answered. “Can you take me to the mountain?”

“I can,” Cal answered.

“Hold on tight, Raina,” Skye said softly. “This conversation isn’t over.”


	12. The Dying Angel

The mountain grew larger each time Raina cracked open her eyes. She struggled to stay awake, knowing that if she gave in to sleep now she may never wake again. For once, she was grateful for the van's shuddering. The jostling kept her as alert as possible. 

She could hear Cal instructing Skye to the place her wings were hidden, but she couldn't focus enough to determine how far they were and how much longer she needed to hold on. The angel shifted in her seat, trying to pull herself up. Her eyes were getting heavier with each passing second. She needed to do something. 

"Skye," she rasped, even though her vocal cords felt like they were on fire. 

"Don't try to speak," Skye answered soothingly. "We can talk when we get your wings back."

Feeling slightly more awake due to the pain in her throat, Raina was able to hold her eyes open long enough to watch Skye. Her face was impassive as she stared at the road in front of her. As she watched, Raina wondered why the Inhuman was still there. After what she had just discovered, Raina would have understood if she had been left to die. What she couldn't understand was why she was still helping her. Skye was constantly surprising her. With every day, her fascination grew. 

"You're angry," Raina stated, wondering if she could get any reaction out of Skye. 

The Inhuman hesitated before answering. "Yes," she said finally, her tone neutral. 

"Should've told you," Raina muttered. Her eyes slowly started to close despite her struggle to keep them open. 

"Yeah," Skye agreed. "We can discuss this later."

Raina nodded once in agreement, too weak to do anything more. Her head hung against her chest. She didn't have the strength to hold it up anymore. Her eyes barely cracked open, and she stared down at her lap. 

It wasn't just fascination that she felt for the Inhuman. Skye had made her feel a variety of things over the short time she had known her; things she had never felt before. She felt guilt when she lied to her, then regret for having to manipulate her, and finally shame for hurting her. But among all the pain, there was goodness too. She felt genuine interest in a mortal and concern for her well being, which had developed into love. 

Her eyes shut, and the angel lacked the energy to open them. Blackness gathered at the edge of her mind, ready to pull her into unconsciousness. She grunted weakly in protest. She couldn't die yet. 

"Love you, Skye," she mumbled, using all the energy she had left. 

"What?" Skye asked in surprise. 

"Love you," she whispered, barely audible. 

Raina had held on for as long as she could. As she fell away, she could still hear Skye's frantic voice, begging her to say something.


	13. Like A Phoenix

As soon as she parked, Skye wasted no time in throwing open the passenger's door and scooping Raina up into her arms. Mixed emotions swirled through her- anger, desperation, love. She wondered how it was possible to feel so much as the cold angel sagged lifelessly with her head rolling back. With one arm under Raina's knees and the other wrapped around her back, Skye ran up the side of the mountain. Her steps were slowed under the weight of the angel, but she pushed forwards as fast as she could. 

"Where is it?" she asked frantically. 

Cal ran in front of her and scanned the mountain side. "There!" he exclaimed, pointing to his left. He ran forwards and put his hand along the rocky cliff wall. "Her wings are behind here. I'm sure of it."

Panting slightly, Skye stood in front of the cliff. "Stand back," she warned. She extended the arm holding Raina's knees forcefully, sending a shockwave out powerful enough to crack the mountain face. As the shockwaves continued to pour out of her fingers, the crack grew larger. On the other side, she was able to see a golden light. Skye gasped in awe of it's beauty. 

Once the cliff had parted, Skye rushed forward into the tiny space she had created. She stopped in front of the golden light gathered in a sphere. "Skye," a gentle voice murmured. 

"Raina!" Skye exclaimed. 

The angel stared up at her with weary eyes. "Set me down now. I will take it from here."

Skye nodded and crouched to the ground. Gently, she laid the weak angel out on the ground. Raina waved her hand weakly, signaling Skye to step back, which she did with baited breath. 

As Skye watched, the soft light slowly trickled away from the source and wrapped around Raina. Soon, her entire body was glowing, and then the light was blinding. Skye squeezed her eyes shut and shaded them with her hand. She could feel the heat waves rolling off Raina's body. Barely, she cracked her eyes open. Raina was beautiful and terrifying, surrounded by wings of golden light like a phoenix. 

The shaking started, and Skye through out her arms to contain it. The walls of the mountain began to crumble. Small pebbles broke away from the wall. Focusing hard, Skye tapped into the resonance of the rock. Instead of trying to bring down the mountain, she let her powers hold it up. 

Sweat poured from her skin as she strained herself. Her legs shook, and she fell to her knees. Still, she didn't let go. She kept the mountain standing, even as it tried to tear itself apart. Her vision began to blur, and she felt herself beginning to black out when a pair of strong hands grabbed hers. 

"You saved me. Now let me save you."

Golden light poured out of Raina's wings, touching every surface. Within a few seconds, the mountain was calm again. Weak from holding the mountain, Skye fell forward into Raina's arms while the angel stroked her hair. "I've got you," she whispered soothingly. "I'll never let you go again."


	14. Above The Clouds

When Skye awoke, she was in Raina's arms, flying high above the clouds. Raina held her gently but firmly, letting her golden wings flap behind her, taking them lower. She watched as the young girl stretched out her hand, touching the clouds. 

"You saved my life," Raina said. 

"I love you," Skye responded. 

"I need to show you something," Raina said, sinking below the clouds. Underneath them, the mountains stood tall and proud. "These are still standing today because of you."

"I couldn't have done it without you," Skye replied. 

"You risked everything for me."

"I couldn't let you die."

Raina's heart soared at hearing Skye's words. In her wildest dreams, she never imagined falling in love with a human, and she certainly never imagined that human loving her back. But love was the only explanation for the warm feeling that filled Raina's heart. She wanted to protect sky with all her angelic power. She wanted to be close to her and experience all the human sensations of touch. It was almost overwhelming to the angel. 

They landed down next to Skye's van. "Will you take us home, Skye?" Raina asked, helping Skye stand again. 

"Of course," she replied. She glanced back at her dad. "But call me Daisy."

Cal's eyes shone with pride at Daisy's decision. She ran to hug him, and he wrapped his arms tightly around her. Raina's heart still felt like it was soaring above the clouds as she saw both of their happy faces. 

The trio climbed into the van, and Daisy began the long drive back to the cabin they had learned to calm home. "Raina," she began. "Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"

Raina's heart ached. She hated that she lied to Daisy, but the mission came first, and in order to complete that mission, Raina needed her wings. She needed to be the true guardian angel that Daisy deserved."

"I am sorry that I lied to you," Raina said. "But my motives were never selfish. I need my wings to protect you during the upcoming trials you will face. Would you have agreed to help me if you knew the risks?"

"Yes," Daisy agreed immediately. 

"Even from the beginning?"

Daisy paused. "You're right," she said sadly. "I wouldn't have helped you."

"You saved me, now let me save you," Raina repeated. "It is my job."

"What's the plan now?" Cal asked from the backseat. 

"Daisy, your mother is starting a war with an intelligence agency called SHIELD. If your mother has her way, many innocent lives will be lost."

"What am I supposed to do?" Daisy asked. 

"You need to become the first inhuman agent of SHIELD. Only then can you bring both people together in peace."

"How am I going to do that?" Daisy asked incredulously. 

"I have a plan."


End file.
